In the powertrain of motor vehicles, constant velocity joints are often used for the transmitting of the drive torque from a differential device or from another transmission output to a driven, in particular steered wheel, which ensure on the one hand the transmission of the drive torque and on the other hand allow for a changing of the angle between the transmission output and an intermediate shaft. The use of constant velocity joints makes it possible that the driven wheels can deflect or that they can be steered, e.g. due to uneven road surfaces, regardless of the transmission output which is usually attached to the motor vehicle body.
Constant velocity joints are known from the design form of tripod joints. As a first joint partner, such tripod joints feature a shaft end comprising pin sections that are integrally formed thereon which protrude radially away from the shaft ends, onto which rollers are arranged. This first joint partner is inserted in a bell housing as a second joint partner, wherein the rollers can roll on an inner side of the bell housing, with the result that the shaft end pivots relative to the bell housing but can rotate together with the bell housing.
Such a tripod joint is e.g. described in the publication DE 10 2004 025 531 A1, which probably forms the closest prior art. This publication particularly deals with the structure of the roller, wherein it features an inner ring which is arranged on the pin, as well as an outer ring, which can roll with its outer circumference on an inner surface of the bell housing. Needle-shaped rolling elements are arranged between the inner ring and the outer ring, which are guided within a cage.
One kind of a further tripod joint in accordance with this category, in which the inner rolling path is not formed on an inner ring as it was the case in the before-mentioned design form, but rather directly on the surface of the pivot pin, is disclosed in EP1219845A2.